The Light in My Darkness
by Black Jade
Summary: Basically a Ruriko/Ukiya ficcie. Happens after the battle with the history teacher/chalk- shooting invader.


The Light in My Darkness ( a ****

The Light in My Darkness ( a.k.a a major WAFF attack) 

The sun had set, leaving trails of red tears in the darkening evening sky, casting low, lonely shadows across the high school compound. The last cry of the birds that fluttered across the deep-blue void could still be heard, mixing with the shouts and yells of the students heading back to their dormitories.

Soon, the school compound was desolate and deserted, without a person in sight – all except one.

The lone figure sat on the rooftop ledge, silhouetted against the falling blackness. He looked up at the last ray of golden sunlight, which revealed a youthful face, seemingly wise beyond its years, and tired eyes containing a thousand sorrows. The expression of a warrior just returned from war, a warrior who had seen the horrors of death, loss and bloodshed, on this young boy's face, gave him an air of melancholy.

He then bowed his head, his shoulders hunched. He appeared to be deep in thought – until one saw the almost imperceptible shaking of his shoulder, then only would one realize the boy was shedding tears – tears that hid themselves in the bright light of the day, and only revealed themselves in the comforting darkness of the night.

She watched him from behind, her eyes anxious and pained, leaning against the wall for support at the shock of seeing the brash, over-confident captain so lost, so vulnerable. A sad, wistful smile tugged at her lips – for a moment, in his vulnerable state, she could imagine him as the happy, fun-loving young boy she had known back in kindergarten, instead of the tough front he put up now, in front of everyone. _Just an act_, she realized now. _He's as traumatized as every one of us. _The sudden realization made her step forward impulsively, calling: " Ukiya!"

He jerked his head back immediately in the surprise of hearing her voice. In one quick movement, he dashed the tears from his cheeks and plastered the big smile he always wore across his face. " Hey, Rurippe!"

_Don't_, she wanted to say. _Drop your pretence. I _know_. I _understand_. Don't put up that act with me. _But when she opened her mouth, she found herself saying lightly, " What are you doing here? It's almost night time." with a hint of reproach in her tone.

He lowered his eyes to the ground. " I was thinking," he said quietly.

She slid onto the ledge next to him, studying him closely as he attempted to hide his face under a curtain of dark hair. " What are you thinking of?"

" Nothing, really," he shrugged. " You know…just stuff."

_Enough is enough. _" You're thinking of yesterday's battle," she said bluntly. " You really think I'm stupid, don't you? You really think I can't tell. You're thinking about our history teacher. You're blaming yourself for his death. But let me tell you one thing, Ukiya. It's _not _your fault. It's – "

" I _killed _him!" Ukiya shouted, turning to face her, his eyes blazing with a strange fire. " And nothing can change that fact!"

" You _had _to kill him," Ruriko placed her hand on his. " Don't you see, Ukiya? You _had _to! It was either he or we! Kill or be killed. Don't you get it? This is _war_."

Ukiya shook his head. " I wish I had never become a gatekeeper," he said bitterly, snatching his hand away. " I wish I had never joined this stupid war." 

" Ukiya – "

" Don't you get it? Yesterday it was our history teacher. Today it could be our friends, our classmates. And tomorrow, it could be our family! Our _family_!" He buried his head in his hands. " We can't trust anyone, Rurippe. And I _hate _that. I hate not being able to trust Mom or even Saemi! They could be invaders, for all we know, and in our next battle, they could be the ones we're fighting against, and I'll have to kill them for the sake of protecting the goddamned people of Earth!"

She slapped him, and he broke off, wild-eyed and shaking. 

__

" Do you know what you're talking like? You're talking like a selfish, self-centered coward," she said furiously. " Do you think you're the only one at risk? Do you think the other gatekeepers don't have a family that they fear for too? But do you see us wallowing in self-pity? No!" She grabbed both his shoulders and shook him violently. " Ukiya, get a hold of yourself! We have a mission. We have a _duty. _The people of Japan, of the whole world, are depending on us gatekeepers. We can't just back out like this! Yes, your mother, your sister may be an invader. But what if they _aren't_? They'll need you to protect them, Ukiya! Are you content to watch helplessly while the invaders destroy your home?" Her eyes shone as she looked up at him earnestly. " Ukiya, please…don't give up on us. We need you, Ukiya. You're our captain. We need you! " 

" No…please, I don't want to hear about that anymore," he said, his voice trembling. " Please, just stop." 

" Ukiya – " She reached out for him again. This time he didn't recoil. 

And then, somehow, he was sobbing in her arms. She held him tightly, her heart clenching painfully, and joined him in his sorrow. Both cried, for the loss of their innocence, for the victims of this war, for loss, for pain, for the dead and for the living that was better off dead. The moon stared down indifferently as the two warriors, just children, really, wept because of a cold, bleak world they were living in, and held on to each other for warmth. 

She took a deep breath, trying to get her sobs under control. " Look at us," she said tightly, smiling. " To think that the human race depends on two bawling idiots."

He laughed, through his tears, and let go of her. " Yeah, we might as well announce the end of the world already."

" No," she shook her head, brown hair spilling from her yellow ribbon onto her shoulders. It took him a while to realize she was serious. " We won't loose. We'll kick their asses out of our planet."

" It's a deal," he said, holding out his little finger, and she hooked hers around his, both smiling widely like morons. ( A/N: Gosh, is this lame or what? I'm such an idiot. I can't believe I wrote such a corny thing.)

He jumped down from the ledge, brushing down his clothes, wiping his cheeks, and held out a hand for her. She took it, and said, almost shyly. " You know, Ukiya, you said just now that you couldn't trust anyone. But…you can trust me," she blurted out quickly. " I mean…when you're feeling down…or whatever, you can…sort of...talk to me."

" H-hai." He paused. " Thanks, Rurippe."

" Oh, and one more thing."

" Eh?"

" STOP CALLING ME SNIVELER!" 

_* wham *_

* boom *

* crash *

" OWWWWWWWWWW! MY HEAD!" 

  
_ ~ owari ~_

A/N: Okay, so that was corny. I just posted this up to show my everlasting devotion to Ukiya and Ruriko. Please R&R * big puppy-dog eyes *. All comments accepted. And please tell me if I have any spelling or grammar mistakes…I'm a perfectionist ^_^. 

Disclaimer: Um…this isn't mine. But could someone please tell me who made this wonderful anime so I could show my great adoration and worship of him/her in my next disclaimer?


End file.
